WOW! WHERE DID YOU LEARN IT FROM, BETA?

Some days ago, a woman called me. “Sir, I have heard about your P.D. programme during the summer. I have an 8-year-old daughter. As her school system is June to June, she will not be able to attend your timings. She is a very intelligent and confident girl… Very expressive and sensitive, too. Is there something you can do for her?”

“Ma’am, she is just 8, and has in her everything a parent desires to see in a child,” I said, “Don’t worry about our P.D. programme. You can always enroll her in the future.”

“But, sir, her school schedule will never suit your summer programme,” the mother insisted, “I just want her to ‘learn something good’ from your place.”

The same day, the mother signed up for her little one. And, we took off… Let me tell you this: This kid is a whiz kid… A joy to behold… a pride to associate with!

One of the reasons why I do what I do is: I get tremendous amount of fulfillment from the thought, that I am a part of someone else’s success story. It may sound  like a selfish thought… But, it is this very thought that drives every sincere and committed parent, teacher, coach, mentor, doctor, advocate, counselor, or any professional for that matter – yes, the thought is the same... We all want to be part of someone else’s success story… There is a great satisfaction and pride involved with this thought…

The money that we earn for our efforts, compared to this satisfaction, is nothing. Nothing!

So, this little 8-year-old and her mother, both, have been coming to me for last couple of days. Frankly, I have to do nothing out-of-the-ordinary, nothing dramatic, with this little bundle of joy. All that I do is: I tell her stories, I show her videos, I encourage her to do what she loves to… and, in the process, make her feel she is a gifted child… But, remind her, repeatedly, that she should take that compliment to her heart and not to her head…

Her parents have taught that to the little one, already… Despite being an outstanding - an all-rounder and well-groomed - kid, I see her two feet firmly planted on the ground.

Yesterday, I told the little one the story of ‘Three Donkeys”…

One day, a father and his son went to market place to sell their goods. They had loaded the goods on the back of their donkey. By the afternoon, they had sold all the goods and they were returning home…The son was sitting on the donkey and the father was walking…

A passerby saw them and said, “How bad! The young man is enjoying the ride and the old man is made to walk in the hot sun!”

When they heard this, the son came down and the father went up.

After a while, another passerby saw them and said, “How mean! The strong man is enjoying the ride and the poor boy is made to walk in the hot sun.”

When they heard this, they both sat on the donkey.

They had barely moved some distance, when another passerby saw them and cried, “How cruel human beings can be! The poor donkey is made to carry two strong men!”

Immediately, the father and his son, both, got off the donkey… Lifted him up… and they carried him all the way home!”

As you know, this is an old story. I must have narrated it in our sessions hundreds of time. I have watched the glow on our students’ faces… They know who the ‘three donkeys’ are… and, importantly, they know what is the take away – the moral of the story.

“The moral of the story is,” the little one told, yesterday, “We should use our own intelligence. Take only that advice which is useful to us. If we listen to every passerby on the road, we will end up becoming donkeys.”

I showed the little one this video, too…

There wasn’t a single word uttered in this story, except the background song… Yet, it so beautifully conveys the message. I asked the eight-year old to narrate to me the whole story… She did it superbly. “What did you learn, beta?” I asked…

“What goes around comes around!” came the response!

“Wow, little lady… Where did you learn it from?” I stood up to pat her.

“Mom, are you happy?” the little one asked looking playfully towards her mother.

The shyness of the mother contained the reply!

The girl is very fond of singing and wants to be a great performer on stage, one day. I showed one of my most favourite videos…

I get goose bumps every time I show this video to our little ones and young ones. It doesn’t matter what they want to ‘perform’ on this stage called 'Life'… What is needed for it - the zest, passion dedication and determination – yes, it all remains the same.

“Did you like it, beta?” I asked my little one.

“YESSSSS!!!” the little one stood up to say.

GERALD D’CUNHA

Pic.: Uttam Ghosh

Videos: YouTube